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[February 22, 2013]

Conservatives must back track on Employment Insurance changes

OTTAWA, Feb. 22, 2013, 2013 (Canada NewsWire via COMTEX) --
Changes to Employment Insurance (EI)
affecting thousands of seasonal workers and their communities must be
overturned, says the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union
(CEP). Further to the harmful changes, the government began making
unannounced house visits to EI recipients this week.

"The Conservative government is actively going after vulnerable
Canadians and that is absolutely not acceptable," said Dave Coles, CEP
National President. "These changes keep low-income families in poverty
and allow the rich to get richer, which is not surprising from this
government but still unacceptable."
Changes to EI forcing unemployed workers to accept jobs at a lower pay
came into effect on January 1st, 2013 and have the most effect on
regions that are dependent on seasonal employment. Demonstrations have
been held in many communities in the Maritimes and in Québec to oppose
the changes that were adopted in Bill C-38, the first Conservative
government's omnibus budget implementation bill.

"Where is Stephen Harper's good jobs strategy All Canadians, employed
or unemployed, need the government to take the question of jobs
seriously and to create good, stable employment in every region of the
country," added Coles. "Workers all contribute to the EI system and we
won't let the government destroy what we have built and funded out of
our own pocket just so the Conservatives can punish the unemployed."
CEP will be participating in this Sunday's EI rallies organized by the
Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec (FTQ).

The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada is the
largest union in several key sectors of Canada's economy, including
forestry, energy, telecommunications and media. The union's 120,000
members work at a wide variety of jobs in hundreds of different
workplaces across the country.